


Building Dreams

by GarnetSeren



Category: My Time At Portia (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Romance, Break Up, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Divorce, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Heartbreak, Male-Female Friendship, Marriage Proposal, Pre-Relationship, Rejection, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Strangers to Lovers, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24570907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnetSeren/pseuds/GarnetSeren
Summary: She curled up with her face buried against her knees, whilst Arlo's warm hand soothingly stroked her back as her sobs turned into hiccups. She honestly had no idea how her love life had gotten so utterly screwed up since she'd come to Portia... it had been one hapless romance after another, each situation feeling more ridiculous than the last. It seemed that the only man she could truly rely on was the Civil Corps captain who'd become her best friend; which meant she felt no shame when she sniffled pathetically as Arlo gently pulled her into his lap. She felt safe and cared for in his arms, like nothing could hurt her as long as he was with her.*A collection of interconnected, chronological My Time At Portia related one-shots*
Relationships: Aadit/Female Builder (My Time At Portia), Albert & Builder, Albert/Female Builder (My Time At Portia), Arlo & Builder (My Time At Portia), Arlo/Builder (My Time At Portia), Arlo/Female Builder (My Time At Portia), Female Builder/Dr. Xu (My Time At Portia), Female Builder/Gust (My Time At Portia), Female Builder/Mint (My Time At Portia)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 59





	1. Beginnings

When Lindy had first stepped off the boat in Portia, she hadn't known what to think. The scenery was beautiful, but with only a backpack full of possessions, a coin purse full of her meagre savings, and the letter her absentee father had sent her after she'd graduated from the Barnarock Builder's Guild, Lindy was starting to wondering if Aunt Kendra had been right about how foolish her decision was. After all, Pa had barely been part of her life and the letter he'd sent had been completely out of the blue. However, despite the mixed feelings Lindy had towards her father, she'd decided jumping in the deep end of adulthood was probably better than being stuck with the crappy commissions she was getting after graduating. Though she was rather surprised when Presley met her at the dock; touched that even though she'd only met him a handful of times when he'd lectured at the guild, that the once famous builder had thought to come greet her. However, after enduring a lifetime of people older than her insisting on using her dead mother's name when addressing her... because Linda had never felt like her own... she finally put her foot down.

“Lyn, please,” she smiled, figuring 'Lindy' sounded too informal for a business contact.

“Oh, of course. I'll have the deeds amended in the morning,” Presley assured, kindly. “But since it's getting late, let me show you to your fath... I mean your workshop.”

Once again, Lindy gave the man a smile; thankful that he'd thought to censor himself. As glad as she was to have the opportunity her Pa had unexpectedly gifted her, she didn't want to start her new life dwelling on all the old 'what ifs' and 'why isn't he here' that had dominated her mind growing up. So she adjusted her bag strap and set off following Presley, only vaguely listening to him explaining about the bus time table, in favour of drinking in her new surroundings.


	2. Best Friends

Unable to help herself, Lindy grinned as she walked back around the side of her ramshackle cottage... having just put some more copper and bronze to smelt in her furnaces... and found Arlo leaning against her gate. The Civil Corps captain gave her an easy smile as he pushed away from the worn wood, before handing her a note scribbled in his almost illegible handwriting. Chuckling, Lindy shook her head fondly as she tried to decipher the latest order from the Corps, whilst Arlo slung his arm companionably around her shoulders as they headed for the Round Table Bistro. The towering redhead had become her first friend when she'd moved to Portia, and that tentative friendship of just a few weeks ago had become something much more solid; forged somewhere between building the bridge to Amber Island, dealing with Huss and Tuss, recovering the town's inhabitants' possessions from a giant rat of all things, and the week she'd spent running with him every morning to help with his train. So now that the days of Spring had gradually grown drier and warmer as they edged towards the Summer, and even though Lindy missed the friends she'd left behind in Barnarock, she could honestly call Arlo her best friend. Their visits to Django's restaurant for lunch had become a weekly tradition, one that Lindy didn't even try to hide was the highlight of her busy weeks... and not just because the days they hung out happened to be the closest thing Lindy got to a day off since she moved to town.

“So... you broke another training dummy?” she asked, still scrutinising the order.

“Hey! It was Remmi this time,” he laughed.

“And the arm stretcher?” Lindy smirked, glancing up at him.

“That was Sam, I swear,” Arlo grinned, as he steered her through the bistro's doors.

“Ah, there's my two favourite clients,” Django greeted, smiling warmly. “Are you eating today? Or just after drinks and the games room?”

“Food, before I kick your butt at darts?” Arlo suggested, his arm still draped around her shoulders.

Lindy lightly jabbed him in the side. “If we go for the shooting gallery, you know I'll beat you... but yeah, food first. I'm starving.”

“Your regular?” Django guessed, showing them to their usual table.

With their unchanging orders taken, Lindy was a little surprised that instead of letting her sit where she normally sat across from him, Arlo tugged her gently until she was settled on the plush sofa beside him. Lindy gave him a curious look, though didn't say anything; the Corps captain rarely did anything without reason. A moment later, Nora came out of the games room, and the priestess hurried passed their table barely making eye contact with either of them.

“You know, you can't keep pretending we're dating just to spare her feelings,” Lindy murmured, reaching out to give her friend's hand a comforting squeeze. “As sweet as she is, Nora's a grown woman. She has to accept you just don't feel the same about her.”

“I've never said we're dating,” Arlo defended, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “She just assumes... and it seems kinder letting her think that, than telling her she's like my little sister.”

Sighing gently, Lindy rested her head on his shoulder. “What am I going to do with you...”


	3. The Doctor

Lindy's heart was heavy as she made the familiar journey up the hill to the clinic. She'd fallen into an easy friendship with Doctor Xu, almost as quickly as she'd bonded with Arlo. But when a busy Spring had turned into lazier Summer days, Lindy was surprised when Xu had invited her to meet him late one balmy night; and even though Phyllis had vaguely let slip about the doctor's plans, when she'd come over for dinner and a gossip one evening, Lindy still hadn't been prepared for what Xu had done. The fireworks had been truly lovely, as had the little picnic he'd packed for them, but since it was near her birthday, Lindy had just thought it was an early gift... since the fact Xu was the only doctor in town and always on-call, prevented them from hanging out all that much. So she'd been stunned when he'd shyly asked if they could be a couple, and even though she wasn't sure if she felt anything for Xu outside of friendship, Lindy found herself saying yes. It would have been akin to kicking a puppy otherwise, and she _did_ enjoy the doctor's company when they got to hang out, so she figured there were worse reasons to start a relationship.

Things moved slowly between them, which didn't surprise Lindy at all, since Xu had admitted he didn't have a lot of experience when it came to romance. They'd also mutually agreed to keep their new relationship quiet... neither liking the idea that other's might gossip about them, which could easily happen in such a small town... though of course Arlo and Phyllis knew. And when Lindy became good friends with Alice and Petra, she disclosed the loosely guarded secret to them as well. But things were going surprisingly well with Xu; even though her budding friendship with Antoine had stalled, when he'd accidentality discovered them walking through the park hand-in-hand one evening. However that all changed the night of the 'Moonlight Primrose Incident', as Alice had taken to calling that it. Honestly, Lindy wasn't even sure what had happened that night, but one minute Xu had been showing her the most exquisite flower she'd ever seen, the next he'd been telling her how he planned to leave Portia for an undisclosed period of time. Naturally Lindy had been shocked by the revelation, especially since Xu had _never_ once hinted about wanting to leave the town, and whilst she respected his motivation, Lindy was unimpressed that the doctor had never thought to mention his plan before. It had hurt, but she'd kept the feelings locked up until she could safely unbottle them in the privacy of her own home, to her unjudging friends.

But whilst they hadn't broken up that night, Lindy couldn't ignore there was a change in Xu. Where he had once frequently stopped by to invite her on a poorly disguised date, and had sweetly left medicine in her mailbox whenever he passed by the workshop on his way to see Granny Sophie on the ranch, the doctor barely seemed to have time in his day for her now. It had gotten to the point that Lindy was lucky if she managed to run into him whilst he was out foraging for herbs, since he was always conspicuously absent whenever she tried to visit him in the clinic, and he was never at home. Lindy was half convinced Xu was avoiding her for some reason, and the sympathetic looks Phyllis gave her whenever the nurse informed her she wasn't sure when he'd be back, certainly didn't help matters. So after two weeks of being ignored, Lindy finally decided enough was enough. So even though she'd prefer to do it in person, she went to the clinic armed with the strange withered branch... that Alice informed her was a long standing custom in Portia... in case Xu once again wasn't there. Surprisingly the doctor was actually in, though barely glanced away from the cupboard he was rearranging, when Lindy tried to be gentle as she broke up with him.

“Uh. Fine by me,” Xu replied, barely glancing at her.

Oddly, his easy acceptance... and basic dismissal... stung. She hadn't even been a hundred percent sure about dating him, but since _he'd_ pursued _her_ , Lindy had thought Xu cared. Obviously not very much, but just in case he hadn't been properly listening, she extracted the withered branch from her bag and set it on his desk, before holding her head high and walking back home to her cat.


	4. The Contractor

Laughing raucously, Lindy kicked her feet up onto the edge of Albert's desk as she settled into the chair across from him, and set his ridiculous top hat on her own head at a jaunty angle. The contractor had been trying to scowl at her, but as the hat dipped comically over her eyes, he started to chuckle as well. Granted, perhaps she shouldn't have laughed the moment she saw Albert's newest accessory, but Lindy just couldn't help. Of course she knew he was very particular when it came to his fashion, though she honestly couldn't understand why a few offhand comments from Phyllis and Sonia had bothered him so much. She personally liked the way Albert dressed, and had told him so the first time they'd hung out; on that fateful day she'd broken up with Xu, then literally bumped into Albert on the way home. She'd only spoken to the contractor for work purposes before, but he'd taken one look at her forced smile and practically guided her into the Round Table, bought her a drink and then told her that he could either distract her from whatever was bothering, or listen if she wanted someone to talk to... making it abundantly clear that the choice was hers, but that he didn't want to leave her wallowing alone. They'd practically fallen into an easy friendship that night, and whilst Albert had cheered her up after her failed romance then, Lindy had been there to bolster the hapless ladies' man every time he was rejected or dumped. Unfortunately, that often meant spending time in the company of his business partner as well, and it seemed this time was going to be no different. Because the exact moment Lindy tossed the talisman she'd carved especially for Albert, that she'd made to depict a good luck symbol... that was a popular design back in Barnarock for people unlucky in love... Gust strode through the door, with his pet pig trotting behind him.

“This is a respectable office,” the architect sniffed, shooting a dirty look at her feet propped up on the edge of Albert's desk.

“And it's lunchtime,” the contractor countered, gesturing to the mostly empty dishes that covered the normally ordered surface.

“But to think, we could be relaxing at Django's if you hadn't flirted with both of them,” Lindy lamented, teasingly.

“How was I supposed to know they were sisters?” Albert grumbled, dramatically burying his face in his hands.

Deciding she'd already teased her friend mercilessly enough for managing not to notice the tourists he'd been chatting up separately all weekend were actually pair of twins, Lindy took her feet off his desk and leant over their abandoned lunch to affectionately ruffle Albert's normally perfectly styled hair; pointedly ignoring the way Gust glared at the pair of them. Considering the contractor had a reputation of being a notorious ladies' man around town, Albert really was hapless when it came to romance. His flings never seemed to last two minutes, and in the two weeks they'd been friends, Lindy had listened to him genuinely pine after three separate women... though at least Albert had seemingly decided that Ginger was too much trouble, considering she was Gust's sister. Lindy was relieved by that, because _that_ was a mess she wanted no part in. Especially since the architect continued to shoot withering glances their way as they talked into the late afternoon, even though their conversation had moved on from Albert's unlucky love life, to expanding the DeeDee transport network that they'd recently set up in town. Though despite how uncomfortable Gust made her feel, she refused to be chased out of the office. Albert was her friend after all, they worked well together and Lindy wouldn't be cowed by anyone. Least of all some snooty architect who happened to be the mayor's son.


	5. The Architect

In all honestly, Lindy was still utterly confused by what had happened with Gust. Because it genuinely felt like one minute he'd been treating her like something he'd stepped in, like she wasn't worth his time, then after one mishap on her part, the strawberry blonde architect had suddenly been proposing to her. Seriously, she couldn't get her head around it. Then again, Lindy wasn't exactly sure how she'd accidentally given Gust the heartknot to begin with, but it had somehow happened. At the time he'd seemed rightly shocked but called it a friendship knot, so Lindy had figured she wasn't the only one who thought the Portia tradition was quaint but idiotic; even though she'd offered to help Alice out and make a batch to sell at the woman's flower shop. But the next day she'd woken up to a letter from Albert, asking if she'd save his hide and deliver some samples to some of their customers if she wasn't busy. Of course Lindy jumped at the chance to help her friend without really thinking, even though it meant an awkward but thankfully friendly conversation with Xu, who'd she'd been avoiding for the last four weeks.

In that time, Arlo had been training like crazy for the Flying Pigs entrance exam, so bar their still upstanding weekly trip to the Round Table together, Lindy had been eating her lunch with Albert. They often ate in his office whilst chatting about various projects, and since Gust was normally in the office as well, Lindy had started making enough food for the three of them; more or less as a peace offering, since she didn't want things to be awkward for Albert, because it was blatantly obvious Gust couldn't stand her. That had honestly been the only change between them in all those weeks, bar the unexpected day she'd found a harassed looking Gust outside her workshop one morning, asking if she'd possibly take care of his pet pig whilst he worked on a major design. Since she'd already opened her home to Pinky and Scraps by that point, Lindy saw no harm in pig-sitting QQ for a few days, but she'd never expected it would lead to a marriage proposal. Though shocked as she was, Lindy tried to be kind and told Gust she just wasn't ready to settle down yet... whilst frantically wondering what the hell was happening, since they'd rarely spoken more than a few words together... but the architect still stomped off in a huff, leaving the unexpectedly romantic candles arranged in the sand in the shape of a heart. Shaking her head, Lindy had tidied up the beach before heading home, and was shocked to see Gust waiting for her at the gate to her workshop. Though despite her better judgement, she still agreed to meet him the next evening.

Going stargazing had definitely been unexpected, but certainly not unpleasant. In fact, Lindy had a genuinely nice time, even if she'd been surprised that the usually reserved Gust had suddenly pulled her into his lap, and wrapped a blanket around them both to stave off the Autumn night chill. Really, she'd thoroughly enjoyed the architect's company as they'd pointed out constellations to each other, and she'd listened intently when he'd shockingly opened up a little about himself and his family, before he'd surprised her further by being an utter gentleman and walking her home, despite the complete lack of danger in Portia. Honestly, he'd shown her a different side of himself, so much so that Lindy was seriously debating giving Gust a chance... providing they sat down and discussed his out of the blue proposal. However the next day when she took lunch over to the A&G Construction offices as usual, Gust was back to scowling at her and Albert; especially when Lindy gave her friend the pot of Asters she'd made, after getting fed up with the contractor going on and on about some he'd spotted in a lifestyle magazine. Though it wasn't just that, that rubbed Lindy the wrong way. Whenever they saw each other in public, Gust was still as abrasive as ever, and the manner he spoke to her bordered on rude. In fact, his attitude was almost as cold as the frigid wind that had started to blow through Portia, and after the town meeting where Gale had introduced an engineer who was new to two, Gust had been practically icy. That was it for Lindy, and she'd broken off whatever they were right there and then. His quiet comment of 'knowing it wouldn't work between them' had made her soft heart ache for him, but the next day when Gust went back to acting like he didn't even know her, Lindy knew her sympathy was wasted.


	6. Meddling

Biting back a sigh, Lindy pressed her cheek to Mint's chest, her mind going a mile a minute. It didn't feel like two seconds since they'd been stood in the clinic after the incident in the mine, with Mint's head injury properly bandaged courtesy of Xu, as he'd bashfully given her a lovely star pendant suspended on a soft fabric choker. He'd been so adorable when he'd stutteringly explained he was sure if he was doing friendship 'right' when he'd given her the gift, but she'd finally unpinned the brooch Gust had given her months ago, as well was unfastened the necklace Ginger had once made for her, in order to tie Mint's gift around her neck; his eyes lighting up as he watched her. It felt like no time at all had passed since then, though Lindy supposed it had only been a fortnight, but so much had changed. Then again, it had only been two days since the 'incident' that had made Mint run from her in a mild panic, and yet, here they were.

She'd never expected him to practically flee, especially when they'd been relaxing in the courtyard of the still unopened cafe, discussing the cultural differences between Barnarock, Vega Five and Portia. But when they'd brushed upon the heartknot tradition, and she'd pulled out the prototype she was still trying to perfect for Alice's shop, Mint had freaked out and made a hasty escape. Completely bemused, Lindy had tried to talk to him for two days without success, before Gale had dropped a note in her letter box asking her to stop by his office. The mayor's explanation had shed some light on Mint's reaction, though she wasn't exactly sure 'give him some time' was the best course of action. Lindy desperately wanted to talk to her friend, to apologise for accidenyally making him so uncomfortable. She wanted to assure Mint that she didn't expect anything from him, that his friendship was enough. But she'd somehow ended up agreeing to take a letter to Xu for Gale instead, even though she'd wanted to refuse, because despite the fact she was still friends with the doctor, there was an awkwardness between them since their breakup. However, it was for Ginger's medication, and even though Gust had taken her rejection hard, the redhead had remained a dear friend. So naturally Lindy went, though somehow... mostly out of guilt... she found herself also agreeing when Xu offered to practice a new acupuncture technique on her.

How that had ended up with the doctor leaving the clinic to 'go get some equipment', to Mint rushing in believing she'd collapsed, Lindy wasn't sure until he mentioned Gale. Honestly, she barely bit back a sigh that wanted to escape. She liked the mayor well enough, but he could be such a busybody. Still, Mint had come to stand by the bed she'd gotten comfortable on in order to help Xu, and had blurted out a tonne of feelings before blushing and awkwardly admitting he wasn't sure why he'd blurted out everything he had. Taking pity on him, Lindy sat up and pulled Mint into a tight hug, explaining Gale had set them both up; and whilst she wasn't exactly annoyed at what the mayor had done, she felt awful that he'd obviously persuaded Xu to get involved, with whatever he'd written in that letter she'd delivered. Though before she could think on it further, Mint distracted her by nervously asking if she'd like to get dinner later, which she obviously agreed to in the hoped they'd get a chance to properly talk. He left soon after, shooting her a shy smile over his shoulder as he left, and a moment later Xu arrived back into the clinic and gave her a hesitant smile.

“So... everything alright?” he asked, not quite looking her in the eye.

Lindy hopped off the bed, before quickly crossing the room and pulling him into a hug. “I'm sorry Gale roped you into this.”

Xu shrugged, even as he hugged her back. “You've got nothing to apologise for. But... we good?”

“Yeah...” she smiled, pulling back to look at him. “We're good.”


	7. The Engineer

Letting the anger surge through her for once, Lindy punched and kicked at Arlo, utterly relieved it was her best friend she'd been pitted against during the first round of the tournament. They'd sparred together enough during their year of friendship that Lindy knew she didn't need to pull her attacks, and Arlo was kind enough to let her take out her frustration on him without questioning her. He ducked and weaved away from her frantic jabs, though barely jumped out of the way when she aimed her foot for his waist. Normally they'd be grinning at each other as they fought, regardless of it being for a tournament or not, but now Arlo stoically took the brunt of her anger, though not before nailing her with a few good hits. They were easily matched, but Lindy was vaguely aware that her form was sloppy, so wasn't at all surprised when she landed on her back for the second time. She accepted Arlo's hand when he offered it to her, and hug him tight as silent congratulations, as he rested his chin on top of her head for a moment whilst they caught their breaths, before they exited the ring together. Out of the corner of her eye, Lindy noticed Mint shot her a worried look though she let Arlo lead her over to the refreshments stand without complaint.

“Alright, what happened?” he asked, as they settled down under a tree outside Abu's house.

Buying time to collect her thoughts, Lindy took a long sip of her rainbow lemonade, before the whole story came tumbling out. She told Arlo about Mint's revelation, that after only a week of dating it had looked liked he'd be forced to move on for work, and whilst it hurt more than Lindy had expected it to, she respected the reason. They'd both worked hard for their careers before they'd ever met, ans she wouldn't stand in his way. But then Gale had gotten involved, and whilst she appreciated what the mayor was doing for Mint... and had offered to build the furniture he needed without commission... Lindy couldn't help the uneasiness she felt about it all. She truly liked Mint. He was sweet and kind, his naiveness was endearing, and he was a good looking guy. She had been happy to take things slow, especially considering Mint had confessed he'd never been in a relationship before. Lindy wanted to explore things with him at a leisurely pace, never once expecting them to be a long term thing, truly believing that he'd realise he wanted to experience more romance and move on; hell, she'd even noticed the shy smiles Mint and Ginger directed at each other, when they thought no one was looking. But once again Gale had gotten involved, and Lindy felt like the mayor was practically pushing Mint towards her. Because whilst she could appreciate the engineer wanting a family of his own considering he'd grown up an orphan, she thought a week was far too soon to be discussing marriage and kids, even though they'd been close friends for a while and that things generally seemed to move a _lot_ faster in Portia than they did in Barnarock. But whilst Lindy had been fully prepared to sit down with Mint and discuss it in private, Gale had jumped on the bandwagon and advised him to speak to Gust of all people about a 'proper' proposal. Lindy had literally cringed at the suggestion, though Mint had run off before she could dissuade him and _then_ the Martial Arts tournament had started. Which brought them up to date.

Arlo made a sound that was part sigh and part chuckle, as he curled an arm around her shoulders. “How do you keep getting into these messes?”

“Oh sure, laugh it up,” Lindy grumbled, resting her head on his shoulder dejectedly. “I'm such an awful person.”

“No you're not,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You're amazing.”

“I'm probably about to break up with someone for a third time since I moved here,” she argued, sadly. “And I'm definitely going to be turning down a second marriage proposal. Why do people like me?”

“Because you have a big heart,” Arlo replied, kindly.

“Everyone's going to hate me,” Lindy whispered, blinking back unexpected tears.

“Things will be okay. No one will hate you and I promise, I'm not going anywhere, okay?” he assured, squeezing her gently. “I'll stand by you no matter what.”


	8. Making Amends

With a heavy heart, Lindy trudged up the dirt path towards her workshop, her head hung low as she blinked back tears. She felt terrible for not only rejecting Mint, but also ending their short lived relationship. Honestly, Lindy hated doing it, but it was obvious she was not what he needed; Mint shouldn't be worrying about settling down already, especially not with the very first person he'd ever dated. She'd apologised so many times as they stood on the lake shore, whilst tears had rolled silently down her cheeks. But thankfully, despite being understandably upset, Mint had been adamant about staying friends. They'd hugged and cried together, and Lindy had buried her face in his chest, desperately trying to ignore how the flowers arranged in a heart beside the lake looked uncomfortably similar to how Gust had proposed to her on the beach. They'd parted ways some time later, after promising to grab lunch together in a few days, which had left Lindy to plod home under a rain cloud of her own making. She felt wretched, and if she hadn't felt so drained, she'd have dragged herself up to the Civil Corps HQ in search of Arlo. But as it was, Lindy barely had the energy to lift her head as she walked, so she hadn't realised there was someone waiting by the gate until she'd practically bumped into them; she never in a million years expected the person to be Gust, especially considering the architect gave her a small smile that bordered on sympathetic.

“I tried to talk him out of it,” he stated, surprisingly apologetic. “But when Ginger overheard she got so excited, and started telling him about a scene in her favourite book.”

“I'm guessing you read the same book too,” Linda said without thinking, and felt terrible when he nodded. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.”

“No harm done,” Gust replied, stiffly.

“Liar,” she replied, offering a weak smile. “Do you want to come inside?”

Gust look taken aback, but slowly nodded and Lindy led him inside without preamble. It felt strange to have him inside her newly upgraded home, even if he was the one who'd designed it. But despite Albert becoming another of her best friends, things had remained barely civil with Gust until recently. She wasn't even sure what had changed between them, since she didn't actually think he was eating the peace offering masquerading as lunch that she'd resumed making for him, in an effort to make things less awkward. But as the architect accepted the glass of wine she'd poured for him, Lindy supposed stranger things had happened since she'd come to Portia. Really, hanging out with Gust after everything that had happened between them was positively normal compared to some things, and as she settled on the yellow sofa beside him, Lindy realised she'd actually quite like to be friends with him; not just cordial for Albert and Ginger's sakes.

“Are you alright?” Gust asked, unexpectedly gently. “I imagine it wasn't easy for you.”

For a moment Lindy debated lying, but when she looked up and saw him regarding her with obvious concern, she decided to take the risk. “It brought back a lot of memories, and I hate knowing I've hurt him, but it wasn't right. The both of us deserve better than that... and so do we.”

Shockingly, a blush coloured Gust's pale cheeks. “I know, and I'm sorry for how I acted before. I'm sorry for putting you in that position.”

“Do you think we could be friends?” she asked, holding out her free hand to him.

Gust clasped her hand warmly, mostly holding it rather than shaking as he admitted: “I'd like that.”


	9. The Logger

Excited butterflies swirled in Lindy's stomach, as she tried not to fidget while Alice artfully pinned the white flowers into her hair. She wasn't nervous at all, but a thrum of energy had been rippling through her body since last night, to the point Petra had banned her from any stimulating drinks ever since her friends had found out Aadit had accepted her proposal. In all honesty, Lindy couldn't believe how quickly they were getting married, especially considering the slow way their relationship had naturally progressed from acquaintances due to work, through friendship into something more. And although it now felt like a whirlwind, she couldn't be happier; especially since Nora had unearthed a pretty white and gold top and skirt set from the church's store, that Carol had graciously altered within hours as a wedding gift. Lindy gave a twirl at Alice's suggestion, admiring herself in the mirror whilst the butterflies flew in a frenzy around her stomach, until there was a quiet knock on the door of the little side room she was using to get ready. All at once the jittery energy vanished at the sight of Aadit's attractive face and warm smile, a wave of calmness washed over Lindy as she linked her arm with her husband-to-be's. Though Aadit had always had that effect on her.

She'd appreciated his straight forward nature from the moment they met, but as they'd slowly gotten to knew each other, Lindy had realised Aadit wasn't like any man she'd ever encountered before. He was so undeniably gentle and nurturing, he was soft spoken and patient, he was insightful and calming. His company had quickly become a balm to her normally hectic life, and Lindy had sought Aadit out more and more, happy to enjoy their meandering conversations with no ulterior motive. She simply enjoyed his company, as he did hers. It wasn't until his birthday when she'd gifted him a talisman she'd carved out of marble with a protection symbol etched into the surface... after hearing the very few occasions where Aadit touched upon his past as they talked, letting slip some of what he'd endured during the war she could barely remember... that things had changed between them. Lindy had never forgotten the way his soothing voice had wavered the one time he'd mentioned he had scars, so she'd gently cupped Aadit's hands in hers, as he'd wrapped his calloused fingers around the polished stone. The look he'd given her had been so warm and unguarded, that Lindy couldn't help leaning in and softly brushed her lips against his; smiling against him as he kissed her tenderly in return. Aadit had rested his forehead against hers when they'd pulled apart, joking that he'd need to get her a heartknot, though since she'd been on her way to Alice's Flower Shop with the final product when she'd ran into Aadit in the town's park, Lindy pulled one of the perfected designs out of her backpack and handed it to him. He'd chuckled quietly and held her close, whispering that she'd made his birthday the best he could remember.

They'd leisurely dated two full seasons since then, before Lindy had decided seek out the mysterious travelling merchant the next time he came into town; after Aadit had dropped a few subtle hints about wanting a to live the rest of his life peacefully, and that he'd like to settle down in Portia. It was the soft smile Aadit gave her as he spoke that propelled Lindy into action, since after hearing about the last two disastrous times someone had proposed to her, her boyfriend had promised to leave that decision up to her. She was so grateful that Aadit had been content to take things at her pace, never expecting more than she was willing to give, which had been what had really made Lindy's mind up. She loved him of course, but it was the fact Aadit respected her that cinched the deal. So on the last day of Summer she'd gone in search of the merchant and was in luck, since the masked man was selling an understated silver band that she was certain Aadit would love. They'd gone for a picnic that evening on Amber Island before she proposed, just as the sun was beginning to set, and Lindy knew she'd always remember the overjoyed look on Aadit's face when he accepted. It was almost crazy to think that was only twelve hours ago, but as they began to walk down the aisle arm-in-arm, Lindy felt more content and certain than she ever had.


	10. Game Changer

“Lyn... let's play some time. You certainly have my attention...”

Not knowing what else to do, Lindy tried to laugh off Albert's slurred comment. The contractor had already been drinking before either she, Gust or Mint had arrived at the bistro, so she was really hoping her friend was just drunkenly running his mouth. However, she couldn't do anything about the way her stomach suddenly twisted in knots, and she flashed Gust a nervous smile when he gave her a blantantly concerned look. They'd all decided to meet up to celebrate the completion of the new Harbour they'd collaborated on, and despite only being married for a week, Lindy had wanted to make sure she didn't become one of those women who couldn't do anything without their spouses by their side. So she'd left Aadit happily reading, curled up on the sofa in front of their newly built fireplace, and whilst she'd been previously looking forward to spending time with her friends... even if two of them were exes... now all Lindy wanted to do was run home; because despite desperately wanting to believe it was just some drunken flirting on Albert's part, if she took the time to think about it, she couldn't deny there were other signs she really shouldn't have brushed off in the past. Things her friend had said that probably should have given her a clue.

“I think you're good, you deserve better than those girls.” That was something that Albert had said to her a lot, though since he usually told her that just after a break up, Lindy hadn't put much thought into it. Of course she was a little confused about his wording, but she'd always just figured Albert was trying to give her a moral boost after yet another failed relationship.

“The one in my heart has all but ignored me.” That _really_ should have been an alarm bell for Lindy, especially when Albert had given her such a plaintive look, but she'd been trying to cheer him up after yet another of his dates had turned into a one night stand who sent his letters back 'return to sender'. Lindy had merely tried to bolster Albert's ego by reminding him he was good looking and had a great job, and she'd figured his maudlin reply had just been him feeling generally sorry for himself at the time. But now, Lindy kind of felt like a complete jerk; not that she'd even seen Albert as more than a friend... he was far too much of a ladies' man for her taste... but she wished she could have been more sensitive. Or something.

Now though, as both Mint and Gust looked between her and Albert, all Lindy wanted to do was flee. Thankfully... or ironically, since they were both exes... the others immediately noticed she was no longer comfortable, and without needing to send either of them a pleading look, they were helping to defuse a situation Lindy doubted a drunk Albert would be able to comprehend. So she readily agreed when Mint suddenly offered to walk her home, even though she'd never once worried about wandering around late at night since moving to Portia, and also happily accepted his politely offered excuse of wanting to order some furniture. Meanwhile, Gust was heaving his clearly unsteady business partner to his feet, though still managed a farewell wave before Lindy bolted for the door in case Albert tried to pull her into a hug like he usually did; Mint easily keeping up, thanks to his ridiculously long legs. They walked in silence, and although she was still comforted by his presence, Lindy couldn't help thinking she wished Arlo was with her. She didn't want to worry Aadit over a drunken confession, since he already fretted over her and her well-being enough, but she needed to talk to someone. And as much as she loved her husband, Lindy knew that the only person who could help her feel better was her best friend.


	11. Heartbreak

Barely holding in tears, Lindy trudged back up the hill in the pouring rain, the envelope she'd found in her mailbox still tightly gripped in her hand. She'd made the journey in reverse just a hour ago, after Xu had insisted on keeping Arlo in the clinic over night after the latest fight they'd found themselves in, and she'd insisted on staying with him. He was her best friend, and Lindy knew he'd do the same for her. So she sat by his bedside, her cheek pillowed on her arms that she rested on the mattress, and they'd spent hours discussing everything that had led them up to that moment.

For Lindy, everything had seemed to happen so fast lately. The council guards arriving, finding the keys to unlocking the Super Computer, and discovering the council guards where actually sky pirates. Then they'd encountered the Rogue Knight again, before having to race the sky pirates to the AI whilst fighting through another disused research facility, not to mention being attacked by a surprisingly mobile Super Computer controlled by the knight. Lindy had been knocked out during the fight, though came to just in time to watch Django beating the Rogue knight with little effort. She'd also noticed the enemy knight had given her a lingering look as he walked away, though she'd chalked that up to the weird 'conversation' they'd had, when he'd asked her why she fought. There had been something familiar about his voice, despite being distorted by the full face mask he wore, and it had caused enough of a distraction for Lindy to be caught off guard and knocked unconscious. Arlo had apparently rushed to defend her and had been badly hurt in the process, so despite Xu discharging Lindy pretty quickly after diagnosing her with a mild concusion, she'd refused to leave her best friend's side; even though she hadn't seen Aadit at all during the crazy fight, but she'd been certain her husband was safe since their home was outside the town's walls, though it turned out she'd had a nasty surprise waiting for her when she finally walked home.

So as she pushed the door to the Civil Corps building open with her free hand, Lindy unconsciously scrunched the envelope in the other. She couldn't believe what was happening, but her gut feeling told her this wasn't a coincidence. Of course she'd always known there was things her husband wasn't telling her about his past, and she wasn't an idiot. When she'd discovered the scars Aadit's body was littered with the first time they'd made love, she'd known he'd been more involved in the war than she'd originally guessed. However, Lindy had always figured Aadit had been a victim... perhaps a prison of war, considering the way he spoke whenever they remotely touched upon his past. She'd _never_ imagined her sweet pacifist could be a knight. A knight that had knocked her unconscious both times they'd fought; though considering the injuries the others sustained, Lindy supposed being knocked out was his way of keeping her out of the fight without hurting her. Obviously she had no actual proof, but the timing was far too suspicious. Though she supposed she should be thankful he'd waited until after the Winter Solstice celebration. As it was, it was the last day of the season, and whilst Lindy had always thought Spring was a time of new beginnings, starting the new year divorced after only being married during the harvest hadn't been her plan.

Though at the sound of her name, Lindy jolted back to the present and glanced up from the patch of flooring she'd been staring at; evidently having been too lost in her thoughts to realise Arlo, Sam and Remy were all looking at her with obvious concern. However, she was suddenly very aware of the puddle of water she was leaving on the welcome mat, as well as the fact that her best friend was hobbling over to her. But before Arlo could ask her what was wrong, Lindy pushed the crumpled envelope into his hand. She didn't trust herself not to break down sobbing again if she tried to speak, so she self-consciously shifted her weight from foot to foot, waiting impatiently for Arlo to read the tear stained letter. Though to her surprise, the moment he was done, the Guard Captain scrunched it up into a ball and threw it into the corner of the room, before pulling Lindy into a tight hug using his uninjured arm. And since Arlo didn't seem to care that she was dripping wet, she finally stopped fighting the tears and let herself sob into her best friends chest.


	12. Healing

Wearily, Lindy stepped around Scraps and Pinking, before letting herself into her home... a house she'd newly upgraded on a whim, trying to finally erase the painful memories of the happy times she'd shared with Aadit... and wasn't at all surprised to find Arlo dozing on her sofa. She'd given him a spare key once she'd completed the redesign that Gust had created for her, since he'd started staying over on her couch several nights a week ever since her husband had left. It was a betrayal that still hurt from time to time, though after three seasons, Lindy had managed to remove the stuffed bear Aadit had left for her as a parting gift from her bed, into a storage box that also held the presents Gust and Mint had given her once upon a time. The necklace Ginger had made her also sat in that box, and had ever since Arlo had more or less dragged Lindy on a fishing trip to Starlight Island only a few weeks after Aadit had left, where she'd also collected plenty of dried coral from the shoreline. That day had been the first time Lindy had managed to smile since the divorce, and she'd created a necklace from some of the smaller piece of coral as a reminder that she would be alright again one day.

All her friends had been amazing, rallying around her and making Lindy feel more loved and cared about than she could ever really remember, but Arlo had really gone above and beyond. Apart from insisting on staying over to keep her company whenever his busy work schedule allowed, her best friend had been with her every step of the way. He'd let Lindy stay with him those first few days when it had been too painful go home, and even argued with her when she insisted on taking the sleeping bag on the floor, which he wouldn't hear of. Arlo didn't ask questions when he'd gone back with Lindy that first time a few days later, and she'd immediately started dismantling the metal bed frame because she couldn't bare the thought of sleeping in what had become her marital bed; he just helped carry the scrap metal to her furnace for smelting, and hacked up the mattress into pieces they could feed into her recycling machine. After that, he'd accompanied Lindy to Paulie's shop and helped her carry the new bed back to her home without complaint. That night Arlo had had to go on patrol, but refused to leave until Emily, Antoine and Sonia had come over for an impromptu sleepover... the next evening Petra had come over to stay, with Alice and her little brother Jack staying the following night, before Arlo had come back over the night after that. Ack had offered to help around the workshop, Remi stopped by to check on her horse, Django sent meals to her everyday, whilst Sam insisted on sparring every morning to help Lindy work through her anger. Gust and Mint had kept her distracted with project ideas, Ginger sent over books, while Xu and Phyllis had both insisted on treating her to dinner. Honestly, Lindy wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve such wonderful people in her life. They made her heartache fade far quicker than she'd ever imagined, but although she cherished every one of her friends, Lindy knew she wouldn't have gotten through any of it without Arlo. He was her rock and she adored him.

So despite how weary she felt after lugging her bulging pack full of ore back from the desert ruins, then pumping a bucket full of water from the well she'd installed over a year ago in order to get cleaned up, Lindy kicked off her dusty boots before kneeling down in front of the couch and running a freshly cleaned hand through Arlo's auburn hair. He blinked awake almost immediately and offered her a sleepy smile, then without warning, he grabbed Lindy around the waist and pulled her onto the three seater with him. Laughing freely, she manoeuvred herself until they could both lay down comfortably whilst several thoughts crossed her mind. Firstly that they'd never really cuddled like this unless she was crying, and secondly that they'd probably be comfier moving to her oversized bed. But before Lindy could make the suggestion, she glanced up and found Arlo he'd already fallen back asleep. Chuckling quietly, she snuggled closer, deciding they could always go soak in the hot springs if their backs protested too much in the morning.


	13. The Captain

There were no butterflies as Lindy laughed when Sam made her do a final twirl, as they checked over her appearance. There was no nervous energy, no flowers in her hair and no white 'dress'. Instead Lindy wore a black skirt along with a black and sky blue bustier that she'd spotted in Carol's shop, when she'd been walking around town with Arlo after a patrol. He'd seen her looking and had made the offhand comment that it'd suit her, and even though Lindy had no idea at the time how things would change between them, she'd bought the outfit in a spur of the moment decision. It had sat in her wardrobe for two whole seasons whilst her and Arlo 'got their acts together', as most of their friends had decided to refer to their relationship. Lindy could still fondly recall Sam's almost unimpressed “Well it's about time” when she'd found out, not to mention the look of excitement on Arlo's face when Lindy had finally worked up the courage to risk their amazing friendship, when she'd given him a heartknot wrapped around the hilt of an iron sword she'd made him for the Winter Solstice. He'd pulled her into his arms immediately, pressing his forehead to hers and said the knot symbolised how their feelings for each other would last forever. Lindy almost cried at the look of sheer love Arlo regarded her with, as if he'd just been waiting for her to catch up.

He'd invited her on an 'adventure' the next day, and getting Gust to repay the favour of pig-sitting QQ way back when, Lindy arranged for her friend to stop by her workshop to check on Pinky and Scraps, before she packed a backpack with some essentials and met Arlo at Portia Bridge. Their trek through Eufaula Desert had been exhilarating, and the beauty spot he'd heard about from Remy had been more than stunning; it even made up for the stupid sprained ankle Lindy had managed to acquire after falling down a cliff face. Arlo had helped her bandage it, as well as insisted on carrying her the rest of the way when she refused to turn back. The view had been more than worth it once they'd arrived, as had simply relaxing in Arlo's arms as they enjoyed the tranquil scenery. Sat in that almost magical cavern, watching exotic fish swim through crystal clear waters and a giant poplar tree sway gently in the shafts of sunlight that shone through the cracks of the cavern ceiling, Lindy finally felt like she'd found where she belonged. With Arlo. Her best friend. Her happy ever after who'd been right under her nose since she first came to Portia. She came so close to asking him to marry her right there and then, but decided to hold off until her ankle was healed. During the week she waited for the all clear from Xu, Lindy set about making a set of dogtags instead of a ring for Arlo, crafting them out of titanium and inlaying a tiny faceted sapphire, since she knew her boyfriend was liable to loose a ring thanks to his line of work.

There had been no nerves when she'd slipped into his office-come-bedroom at the Civil Corps HQ, after Xu agreed her ankle was healed. Nor had she fretted or second guessed herself when she'd offered the tags to Arlo and proposed. There had just been the familiar sense of belonging that Lindy always had with the guard captain, when he'd wrapped his strong arms around her and buried his handsome face in the crook of her neck as he accepted. It was the same sense of belonging Lindy felt as she slipped her hand into Arlo's before they walked down the aisle, the same sense of belonging she felt as she looked around the packed church crammed with practically the entire town. It was the same sense of belonging she felt as they said their vows... as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife in front of the cheering crowd... the same sense of belonging she felt as Arlo leant down and whispered in her ear:

“Marrying you is the best decision I've ever made.”

Grinning up at him, Lindy let her eyes rove over the smart grey jeans and simple yet flattering white shirt he was wearing under a brown leather jacket, before she tugged him down to her level intent on another lingering kiss. Though not before she murmured: “I couldn't agree more.”


End file.
